Device with flexible elements for processing textile fibers

ABSTRACT

The flexible element for processing fibers is constituted by a tubular flexible member which is flattened in such a manner that its cross-section has a shape which is close to that of a figure eight and consequently determines two hollow lobes, one of which is the fiber-processing lobe while the other is a fastening lobe which is inserted through a longitudinal mounting slot in a supporting tube and maintained applied against the internal wall of the said tube by a locking rod placed in the bottom of the said fastening lobe, the width of the longitudinal slot of the supporting tube being smaller than the external diameter of the fastening lobe fitted with its locking rod.

United States Patent Herubel Oct. 3, 1972 DEVICE WITH FLEXIBLE ELEMENTSFOR PROCESSING TEXTILE FIBERS [72] Inventor: Jean-Frederic Herubel,Guebwiller,

France [73] Assignee: N. Schlumberger & Cie, Guebwiller, Haut-Rhin,France [22] Filed: July 2, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 51,912

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data July ll, 1969 France ..6923752[52] US. Cl ..l9/236 [51] Int. Cl. ..D0lh 5/70 [58] Field of Search..l9/236, 258, 263, 264, 265; l5/256.5l, 256.52, 256.53, 256.5, 256.56

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,407,428 10/1968 Galassi..l5/256.5l

Primary Examiner-Dorsey Newton Att0rney-McGlew and Toren 5 7] ABSTRACTThe flexible element for processing fibers is constituted by a tubularflexible member which is flattened in such a manner that itscross-section has a shape which is close to that of a figure eight andconsequently determines two hollow lobes, one of which is thefiber-processing lobe while the other is a fastening lobe which isinserted through a longitudinal mounting slot in a supporting tube andmaintained applied against the internal wall of the said tube by alocking rod placed in the bottom of the said fastening lobe, the widthof the longitudinal slot of the supporting tube being smaller than theexternal diameter of the fastening lobe fitted with its locking rod.

13 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEUOBT3 m2 3.694.860

SHEET 1 [IF 2 DEVICE WITH FLEXIBLE ELEMENTS FOR PROCESSING TEXTILEFIBERS The invention relates to devices for processing textile fibers inthe form of laps, rovings, slivers or yarns which are intended for usein operations preparatory to spinning and in spinning, for example indrawing operations by means of rollers, aprons or pins, rubbers,finishers, drafting for preparation and spinning.

By processing is meant any operation which is intended to modify theconfiguration of fibers such as straightening or laying parallel as wellas a simple cleaning operation such as scraping, for example.

The invention is directed solely to devices comprising a flexibleelement for processing fibers which are similar to the devicesdescribed, for example, in the French patent application filed by thepresent Applicant on Nov. 28, l968 under No. 175,735 and entitled HighDraft Drafting Device for Textile Machines and co-pending US. Pat.application No. 874,136 filed on Nov. 5, 1969 in respect of DraftingDevice for Textile Machines.

The flexible elements for processing fibers as described in this patentapplication are each constituted by a flexible strip placed transverselywith respect to the direction of displacement of the fibers, said stripbeing folded back on itself to form a loop, the back portion of which isintended to exert pressure on the fibers while the two side portions aresecured flatwise against a rigid bar or batten by means of screws, forexample.

ln point of fact, this form of structure is open to a certain number ofcriticisms, viz:

a. In order to attach the flexible element along the bar at a number ofpoints, it is necessary to make use of a number of screws which call fora drilling andtapping operation at each fixing point; furthermore, astrip of sheet metal has to be added to the bar in order that theclamping pressure of the screws should be distributed over the flexibleelement as uniformly as possible;

b. The presence of large number of fixing screws along the bar increasesthe external dimensions of this latter, with the result that the barscannot be brought as closely together as may be desirable;

c. Mounting of each flexible element by means of a large number ofscrews is obviously a time-consuming and costly operation;

. d. Despite the presence of a sheet metal member for distributing thepressure of the screws over the flexible element, there remain pressuredifferences which are liable to cause distortion or buckling of theflexible element to a greater or lesser extent, with the result that thesaid element works under unfavorable conditions;

e. The flexible element must also be pierced at a number of points whichis a time-consuming operation and permits the use of the said elementonly in one position, thereby entailing the need for replacement of saidelement when its working points are worn.

The preparation, that is to say the cutting-out of the flexible element,is a long and laborious operation requiring high precision which furtherincreases the cost price of the device.

The object of the invention is to provide a flexible device forprocessing textile fibers which is not subject to the above-mentioneddisadvantages of known devices.

To this end and in accordance with the invention, the flexible elementfor processing fibers is constituted by a tubular flexible member whichis flattened in such a manner that its crosssection has a shape which isclose to that of a figure eight and consequently determines two hollowlobes, one of which is the fiber-processing lobe while the other is afastening lobe which is inserted through a longitudinal mounting slot ina supporting tube and maintained applied against the internal wall ofthe said tube by a locking rod placed in the bottom of the saidfastening lobe, the width of the longitudinal slot of the supportingtube being smaller than the external diameter of the fastening lobefitted with its locking rod.

By virtue of this particular structure, the abovementioned disadvantagesof known systems are eliminated and the advantages of the novel devicecan be summarized as follows:

a. Fastening of the flexible element to its support does not entail theneed for any screw and consequently for any drilling or tappingoperation. This results in considerable economy of labor by reason ofthe high number of flexible elements which can be incorporated in anapparatus for subjecting fibers to a processing operation such asdrafting, for example. A further economy is achieved in the sheet metaldispensed with for distributing the screw-clamping pressure on theflexible element and this latter is maintained perfectly straight;

b. The fact that the flexible element support is tubular endows the saidelement with a high degree of rigidity in all directions;

c. Since provision is no longer made for projecting sheet metal orscrews, the overall size of the device is reduced accordingly, therebymaking it possible to bring the working elements much closer togetherand to obtain better retention as well as better control of the textilefibers which are being processed;

d. The preparation of the flexible element becomes very simple sincethere is no longer any need for cutting-out the element in an accuratemanner and since it is merely necessary to cut tubular elements to thedesired length without requiring a high standard of accuracy;

e. The tubular flexible element no longer needs to be pierced and thisalso constitutes an economy. Moreover the flattened section of thetubular element can be formed in different directions so that after wearof this latter in one position, the element can be rotated by successivequarter-revolutions, for example, in order to wear practically itsentire periphery in a complete manner.

In accordance with a further property of the invention, each extremityof the supporting tube has two diametrically opposite longitudinalfastening slots engaged over a tongue which serves to retain the saidsupporting tube and is equal in width to the external diameter of thesaid tube while a sliding sleeve fitted over the extremity of the tubeis adapted to embrace the said tongue.

This mode of assembly is both simple and rapid and consequentlyinexpensive. Moreover, the assembly consisting of the flexible elementand of its means for attachment to the driving members can beconstituted by parts of small size which can readily be formed bydiestamping, for example; moreover, said parts can be easily assembledand therefore entail low capital expenditure.

A better understanding of the invention will be gained from thefollowing description and from the accompanying drawings which show byway of nonlimitative example one form of construction of a device forprocessing textile fibers in accordance with the invention.

In the drawings:

1 FIG. 1 shows in perspective a flexible element for processing fiberswhich is mounted on its supporting tube;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view in perspective showing the means for mountingthe processing unit of FIG. 1 on a driving member;

FIG. 2A is a side view, partly in section, of the end portion of thesupporting tube;

FIG. 3 is a view which is similar to FIG. 2 and shows twofiber-processing units in position on their driving members;

FIGS. 4 and 5 show two alternative forms of driving members.

The flexible element 1 shown in FIG. 1 is intended to be employed forprocessing moving textile fibers 2 in the form of laps, rovings, sliversor yarns; said element can be employed either in operations preparatoryto spinning or in spinning, for example in drawing operations by meansof rollers, aprons or pins, rubbers, finishers, drafting for preparationand spinning. Said element can also serve to modify the configuration oftextile fibers by straightening or laying these latter parallel, forexample, as well as to clean drawing members by means ofa scrapingaction, for example.

The flexible processing element 1 is constituted by a tubular memberformed of natural or synthetic rubber or any suitable elastomer which isflattened in such a manner that its cross-section has a shape which issimilar to that of a figure eight and consequently determines two hollowlobes, namely a fiber-processing lobe 1A and a fastening lobe 1B.

The fastening lobe 1B of the flexible element 1 is inserted through alongitudinal slot 3 formed in a supporting tube 4 in which the said lobeis positionally maintained by means of a locking rod 5; this assemblyforms a unit which will be designated hereinafter as a fiber-processingunit.

The width of the slot 3 of the supporting tube is smaller than theexternal diameter of the fastening lobe 1B of the flexible element 1which is fitted with its internal locking rod 5 so that said flexibleelement can no longer pass out of its supporting tube 4 of its ownaccord.

In practice, the two lips of the longitudinal slot 3 of the supportingtube which are located on the narrowed portion of the flexible element Imaintain the two walls of this latter substantially in contact with eachother.

In order to assemble the complete fiber-processing unit, it is possibleeither to begin by inserting the fastening lobe 1B of the flexibleelement into the supporting tube 4 at one extremity of this latter andthen to insert the locking rod into the said lobe or alternatively firstto place the locking rod 5 within the fastening lobe 1B of the flexibleelement and then to insert the complete assembly into the supportingtube 4 at one extremity of this latter.

The processing unit can be conveniently supported at each end by meansof the system which is shown by way of example in FIGS. 2 and 3. Forthis purpose, each of the two extremities of the supporting tube 4 isprovided with two diametrically opposite longitudinal fastening slots.In the example illustrated, one of the said fastening slots isconstituted by the corresponding extremity of the longitudinal slot 3for the assembly of the flexible element while the other fastening slotis indicated at 7, for example, along a generator-line which isdiametrically opposite to the longitudinal slot 3.

The two fastening slots 3 and 7 are capable of engaging over a retainingtongue 1 1 which, in this example, is rigidly fixed to a link 12 of adriving chain 10 which is intended to move in the direction of the arrowf2. The width of the retaining tongue is equal to the external diameterof the supporting tube 4. The said tube is secured radially to theretaining tongue 11 by means of a sliding sleeve 13 which is fitted onthe tube and is capable of being slid over the tube 4 and encircling theslots 3,7 for embracing the edges of the retaining tongue l l, as shownin FIG. 2A and FIG. 3.

In this example, the sliding sleeve 13 is constituted by a simple tubesegment which is split lengthwise and clamps the supporting tuberadially under the action of its own elasticity, with the result thatthe said sleeve remains in the position in which it is set, especiallyin the locking position shown in FIG. 3.

In the form of construction which is illustrated, each retaining tongue11 is provided with a centering extension 16 having a widthsubstantially equal to the internal diameter of the supporting tube,thereby facilitating assembly inasmuch as the tube is maintainedcentered with respect to the retaining tongue while the sleeve 13 isdisplaced in sliding motion so as to be set in the locking positionshown in FIG. 3.

In the form of execution which is shown in the drawings, an axialabutment member 17 which is rigidly fixed to the retaining tongue 11serves to position the corresponding end face of the supporting tube 4and further facilitates mounting of the assembly.

In the example illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, each driving-chain link 12is adapted to carry two retaining tongues 11, 11A which are eachintended to support one extremity of a processing unit such as the unitillustrated in FIG. 1. It is readily understood that each chain linkcould be designed to support only one processing unit or on the contrarya number of processing units which is greater than two, depending on thepopulation of flexible elements which is required by the draftingoperation.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show by way of example two alterna tive forms of drivingchain links which are each adapted to receive a single processing unit.

The other extremity of the supporting tube 4 is formed in a similarmanner and also supported by another driving chain which is identicalwith the chain 10.

In order to place a processing unit 1 in position on its supportingchains, the unit is presented in such a manner as to ensure that its twoextremities are located respectively opposite to two correspondingretaining tongues 11, whereupon the unit is displaced parallel to itselfin the direction of the arrow f (as shown in FIG. 2) so that eachretaining tongue 1 1 should pass into the extremity of the longitudinalslot 3, then into the fastening slot 7, the extension 16 of theretaining tongue being then intended to come into contact with theinternal face of the tube along the generator-line on which thefastening slot 7 is located. The processing element is then in positionand, in order to lock the said element on its support, it is merelynecessary to slide the two sleeves 13 into the direction of the arrowsfl in order to cause them to cover the edges of the retaining tonguesand consequently lock the supporting tube radially on the tongues.

Disassembly of the processing elements is carried out with equal ease asa result of the reverse operations: the two sleeves 13 are first causedto slide in the direction opposite to the arrows fl and thecomplete-processing unit is withdrawn by displacement parallel to itselfin the direction opposite to that of the arrow f.

The advantages of this arrangement have already been explained earlierand will therefore not be restated.

The fastening slots such as the slot 7 could be located in a diametricalplane other than that which contains the longitudinal slot 3 formounting the flexible element, with the result that the said element.could advantageously be inclined with respect to the material to beprocessed.

As will be clearly understood, the invention is not limited to theembodiment which has been described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings and which has been given by way of example. Numerousmodifications could be made thereto depending on the applications whichare contemplated without departing from the scope of the invention.

' It thus follows, for example:

that the the assembly of the retaining tongues such as 11 could bereversed so that these latter are placed upside down and so that theaxes of the processing units coincide, for example, with the axes of thechain rollers 14.

that the processing units could be mounted on stationary supportsinstead of being movable.

I claim: y

l. A device for operating upon fibers, comprising:

a tubular flexible member which is flattened so as to have across-sectional shape similar to a figure eight and form two hollowlobes one of which is a fiber-operating lobe while the other is afastening lobe, I

a supporting tube having a longitudinal mounting slot, said fasteninglobe being inserted through said longitudinal mounting slot into saidsupporting tube,

a locking rod placed in said fastening lobe for holding the fasteninglobe inside said tube, the width of said longitudinal slot in saidsupporting tube being smaller than the external diameter of saidfastening lobe fitted with the locking rod,

said tube having two extremities, each extremity of said supporting tubehaving two diametrically opposite longitudinal fastening slots,

a pair of retaining tongues substantially equal in width to the externaldiameter of said tube and extending into the slots for retaining saidtube,

and a pair of sliding sleeves fitted over said extremities of saidsupporting tube and embracing said tongues.

2. A device as in claim 1, wherein said longitudinal mounting slotextends over the entire length of said supporting tube and wherein oneof said longitudinal fastening slots is constituted by the correspondingend portion of said longitudinal mounting slot.

3. A device as in claim 1, wherein said sliding sleeve is constituted bya tube segment which is split lengthwise and adapted to grip saidsupporting tube radially and elastically.

4. A device as in claim 1, wherein each said retaining tongue has acentering extension substantially equal in width to the internaldiameter of said supporting tube.

5. A device as in claim 1, wherein each said retaining tongue isprovided with an axial abutment for positioning the corresponding endface of said supporting tube.

6. A device as in claim 1, further comprising a pair of driving members,said retaining tongues being respectively rigidly fixed to said drivingmembers for displacing said supporting tube in a direction at rightangles to the general direction of said tube.

7. A device as in claim 6, wherein each of said driving members forms alink of an endless chain.

8. An apparatus for operating on fibers comprising a textilefiber-modifying assembly, said assembly comprising a flexiblefiber-modifying element constituted by a tubular flexible member whichis flattened so as to have a cross-sectional shape similar to a figureeight and forming two hollow lobes one of which is a fibermodifying lobeand the other of which is a fastening lobe, a supporting tube having alongitudinal mounting slot, said fastening lobe of said tubular flexiblemember inserted through said longitudinal mounting slot into saidsupporting tube, and a locking rod placed in the bottom of saidfastening lobe for maintaining said fastening lobe applied against theinternal wall of said tube, a fastening assembly for supporting each endportion of said supporting tube, said fastening assembly comprising asupport member, a rigid retaining tongue secured to said support member,said tongue having a width equal to the outer diameter of saidsupporting tube, each end portion of said supporting tube having twodiametrically opposed fastening slots, said tongue engaged within theopposed fastening slots of one end portion of said fastening tube, asleeve slidably fitted over said end portion of said supporting tube andembracing the edge portions of said tongue positioned within saidfastening slots, and an axial abutment member on said support member forpositioning one said end portion of said supporting tube.

9. A device as in claim 8, wherein said sleeve is formed by a tubesegment which is split lengthwise and is arranged to grip saidsupporting tube radially and elastically.

10. A device, as set forth in claim 8, wherein said longitudinalmounting slot extends for the entire length of said supporting tube andsaid fastening slots extend in the longitudinal direction of saidmounting slot and one of said fastening slots at each end forms acorresponding end portion of said longitudinal mounting slot.

11. A device as in claim 8, wherein said retaining tongue has acentering extension substantially equal in width to the internaldiameter of said supporting tube and said centering extension extendsinwardly into the internal diameter of said supporting tube from theportion of said retaining tongue positioned within said fastening slots.

direction at right angles to the longitudinal direction of saidsupporting tube.

13. A device as in claim 12, wherein each of said driving members formsa link of an endless chain.

1. A device for operating upon fibers, comprising: a tubular flexiblemember which is flattened so as to have a cross-sectional shape similarto a figure eight and form two hollow lobes one of which is afiber-operating lobe while the other is a fastening lobe, a supportingtube having a longitudinal mounting slot, said fastening lobe beinginserted through said longitudinal mounting slot into said supportingtube, a locking rod placed in said fastening lobe for holding thefastening lobe inside said tube, the width of said longitudinal slot insaid supporting tube being smaller than the external diameter of saidfastening lobe fitted with the locking rod, said tube having twoextremities, each extremity of said supporting tube having twodiametrically opposite longitudinal fastening slots, a pair of retainingtongues substantially equal in width to the external diameter of saidtube and extending into the slots for retaining said tube, and a pair ofsliding sleeves fitted over said extremities of said supporting tube andembracing said tongues.
 2. A device as in claim 1, wherein saidlongitudinal mounting slot extends over the entire length of saidsupporting tube and wherein one of said longitudinal fastening slots isconstituted by the corresponding end portion of said longitudinalmounting slot.
 3. A device as in claim 1, wherein said sliding sleeve isconstituted by a tube segment which is split lengthwise and adapted togrip said supporting tube radially and elastically.
 4. A device as inclaim 1, wherein each said retaining tongue has a centering extensionsubstantially equal in width to the internal diameter of said supportingtube.
 5. A device as in claim 1, wherein each said retaining tongue isprovided with an axial abutment for positioning the corresponding endface of said supporting tube.
 6. A device as in claim 1, furthercomprising a pair of driving members, said retaining tongues beingrespectively rigidly fixed to said driving members for displacing saidsupporting tube in a direction at right angles to the general directionof said tube.
 7. A device as in claim 6, wherein each of said drivingmembers forms a link of an endless chain.
 8. An apparatus for operatingon fibers comprising a textile fiber-modifying assembly, said assemblycomprising a flexible fiber-modifying element constituted by a tubularflexible member which is flattened so as to have a cross-sectional shapesimilar to a figure eight and forming two hollow lobes one of which is afiber-modifying lobe and the other of which is a fastening lobe, asupporting tube having a longitudinal mounting slot, said fastening lobeof said tubular flexible member inserted through said longitudinalmounting slot into said supporting tube, and a locking rod placed in thebottom of said fastening lobe for maintaining said fastening lobeapplied against the internal wall of said tube, a fastening assembly forsupporting each end portion of said supporting tube, said fasteningassembly comprising a support member, a rigid retaining tongue securedto said support member, said tongue having a width equal to the outerdiameter of said supporting tube, each end portion of said supportingtube having two diametrically opposed fastening slots, said tongueengaged within the opposed fastening slots of one end portion of saidfastening tube, a sleeve slidably fitted over said end portion of saidsupporting tube and embracing the edge portions of said tonguepositioned within said fastening slots, and an axial abutment member onsaid support member for positioning one said end portion of saidsupporting tube.
 9. A device as In claim 8, wherein said sleeve isformed by a tube segment which is split lengthwise and is arranged togrip said supporting tube radially and elastically.
 10. A device, as setforth in claim 8, wherein said longitudinal mounting slot extends forthe entire length of said supporting tube and said fastening slotsextend in the longitudinal direction of said mounting slot and one ofsaid fastening slots at each end forms a corresponding end portion ofsaid longitudinal mounting slot.
 11. A device as in claim 8, whereinsaid retaining tongue has a centering extension substantially equal inwidth to the internal diameter of said supporting tube and saidcentering extension extends inwardly into the internal diameter of saidsupporting tube from the portion of said retaining tongue positionedwithin said fastening slots.
 12. A device as in claim 8, wherein saidsupport member comprises a driving member, said retaining tongue rigidlyfixed to said driving member and one said driving member secured to eachend of said supporting tube for displacing said supporting tube in adirection at right angles to the longitudinal direction of saidsupporting tube.
 13. A device as in claim 12, wherein each of saiddriving members forms a link of an endless chain.